Last week, we were pleased to welcome Dr. Marouf Keita, Chief of Pediatrics at Gabriel Toure University Hospital in Bamako, Mali. Dr. Keita has done much to bring pediatric medicine to higher standards in his country. During his visit, we were able to get a better understanding of the most urgent medical needs to be addressed in his country, including the need for pediatric oncology and hemotology education and equipment. We were also able to show Dr. Keita some American pediatric techniques in action by taking him on a tour of Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters, a state of the art facility here in Norfolk, Virginia. Dr. Keita got many ideas to take back to Mali, but expressed how difficult it would be to implement them, siting cultural differences, lack of financial support, and lack of resources for maintaining more modern equipment, as some of the obstacles facing hospitals in Mali.
Physicians for Peace has sent containers of medical supplies to Mali and hopes to begin educational programs to improve maternal and child health in Bamako and Segou. These cities were chosen by the Earth Institute as part of their Millennium Cities Initiative to implement the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations.
We learned much from Dr. Keita about medical education in Africa and the need for more teachers and doctors to meet the demands of a new generation of students. We look forward to our on-going relationship with our friends in Mali and supporting their efforts to improve the quality of life of the people of Mali. You can also give your support – Donate now to Physicians for Peace.
